Inquiry Learning

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THE POWER OF THE QUEST

uncertainty

“…be patient to all that is unsolved in your heart and try to love the questions themselves like locked rooms and like books that are written in a very foreign tongue. Do not now seek the answers, which cannot be given you because you would not be able to live them. And the point is, to live everything. Live the questions now.”
Letters to a Young Poet - Rainer Maria Rilke


AGENDA

Introduction
The journey will include challenges to thinking, practices, beliefs, some answers, different for everyone, more questions.
You will be searching, writing, creating, collaborating, contributing, & communicating.
The process will be:
  • messy
  • Open to wonder and puzzlement
  • Ambiguity
  • Full of frustration and joy!

Why are we here?
  1. Response to ELA curriculum issues
  2. Belief that technology should naturally be part of teaching and learning
    Framing the Inquiry
    Goals:
  • Come to an common shared understanding of inquiry learning
  • Become disruptive innovators
Purpose:
  • Communicate using a variety of online tech tools
  • Search using a variety of online tech tools
  • Create an inquiry based unit for each grade
  • Searching for answers and more questions
  • Stimulate deeper thinking

Products/Expectations:
  • Written - wiki entries and discussion, unit plan
VoiceThread
  • Social Action – share unit and inquiry philosophy with others
    • Sharing will be by posting it on the net and by word of mouth, no presentations involved
  • Teach the unit to your students
  • Professional Reflection
  • Documentation of classroom practice (inquiry in action)

Outline of the Days

Day One, October 6 – Understanding the Quest – Theoretical and Philosophical
Day Two, October 7– Preparing for the Quest – Practical resources and strategies, planning for the unit
Day Three – Pursuing the Quest – Developing and Writing the unit
Day Four - Continuing the Quest – TBD

Understanding the Quest - Theoretical and Philosophical


Hook
Activating knowledge
Vocabulary map/brainstorming – What do you know?
bubblus_Inquiry[1].jpg
  • Use the Frayer Model to define inquiry (small group)
Group activity
  • Anticipatory set – What do you believe?
Essential Question
  • Why is inquiry a valid framework for learning? (share the aha moment re: last year's essential question)

Develop Knowledge Base
Phase One - topical
  • Wiki demo

    • Introduce wikis - find out who is using them?
    • joining the wiki, creating a page, adding content and links
  • Teachers search the internet and the print resources
Phase Two – develop new concepts
  • Perception Check
    • refining inquiry – any questions you have that are narrowing your search?
Phase Three
  • Continue to search internet and the print resources
  • contribute to wiki – Aha moments, questions, links, resources - (but not just a page of links)
*
Closure
  • Quick Write – Thoughts in response to what you’ve learned

LUNCH

Applying Knowledge Base
Meet in grade groups to share your individual response to the Essential Question
Arrive at common thoughts among your group – questions and answers
  • VoiceThread
VoiceThread is offering free educator accounts for all k-12 classroom educators. These free accounts are identical to the Pro account in almost every aspect. When you're on the Browse, Create, or Myvoice pages click the button up top that says 'Go Pro' and then click the link that says K-12 classroom educators. - Example
Grade Seven Group

Grade Eight - Inquiry group
Grade Nine Inquiry Group
Grade 9 Video

Closing:
Wiki Discussion Board
  • Post a comment about a shift in thinking that you’ve been exposed to.
  • Homework – post 1 comment before we meet reflecting on inquiry learning
  • Plans for tomorrow - gather thoughts from participants

Wiki Resources:

Copyright Free Images

Online Tutorials
Wikispaces tutorials
YouTube Video Tutorials (not all in English!)

Part I Middle Years

Part 2 - Grades 3 - 5